Kay Andreas Kostopoulos's Page

Name

Kay Andreas Kostopoulos

Birthday

August 20

How did you first hear about WomensRadio Music Review?

Word of Mouth

How do you usually acquire reviews of your albums? Do you have to pay $$?

Sometimes--I also get local reviews from word of mouth--I teach at Stanford, so I have a nice network--also I've been played on the Jazz Station, and perform around the Bay Area with several prominent musicians

About Me:

Jazz vocalist, Kay Kostopoulos, is a former dancer, a classical actress and teacher of Drama at Stanford University. Kay has always been attentive to rhythm, range, and textural meaning in her teaching and acting. Black Olive Jazz features stunning vocals and a rhythm section powered with a percussive Mediterranean touch.

Middle Eastern riffs and Shakespearean texts have helped to inform her delivery of the complex time, sensitive lyrics and multiple shades of jazz. Her theatrical background lends an emotional sensitivity to her lush and sensuous three-octave range.

Kay’s experience as an actress makes her a versatile song-stylist and performer. Black Olive Jazz has a wide range of material which appeals to any age: Classic Jazz Standards, Latin, Romantic Ballads, Retro-lounge in the style of Pink Martini, and Django-Grapelli style guitar/violin with voice. She sings in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian; in the styles of swing, bebop, latin and cabaret. Performing classic songs from the Golden Age of the American Songbook with a vocal jazz repertoire from the enduring masters of the art form including the Gershwins, Rodgers and Hart, Arlen, Ellington, Strayhorn, Porter; and songwriters from Europe and Latin America--Consuelo Velaquez, Ary Borroso, A.C. Jobim, and many more. Vocalist Kay Andreas brings these traditions together with an all-star ensemble of San Francisco legends.

Kay's CD, “Black Magic”, has received airplay on the Bay Area jazz station, KCSM. Her newest CD, “View From Telegraph Hill”, featuring Larry Vuckovich, Noel Jewkes, Bill Douglass and Eddie Marshall, will be released this spring. It includes several original compositions, including the title song, with music by Larry and lyrics by Kay. It has been lauded by Wayne Saroyan of Jazz West as: “the quintessential San Francisco Jazz Song”.

Kay has also performed as lead vocalist for David Hardiman's Big Band, The City Swing Big Band of San Francisco, and Swing Fever. Her popular ALL GAL BAND features pianist, Sue Crosman, bassists, Carla Kaufman & Ruth Davies, and drummers, Beth Goodfellow & Kelly Fasman. She is currently working on a theatrical and song tribute to Anita O’Day. Kay has also been profiled in articles in Jazziz and Stanford Magazines, and her music video is featured on all aboutjazz.com.


In addition to singing, Kay is stunning in her appearance, poise, warmth and professionalism. She frequently recites and performs at poetry readings and book signings, and has performed for large audiences in the Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, William Saroyan, and Charles Darwin celebrations at Stanford University.

Favorite Genre(s) of Music:

Blues, Jazz, R&B, Soul

Website

http://blackolivejazz.com

What I can offer this community

I fully support women in the arts, as a teacher at Stanford, I encourage women of all ages to pursue their artistic calling. I also have an all women jazz band I frequently perform with--in this male dominated genre, we are truly a novelty--always enthusiastically received on our gigs around the Bay Area.